


Crema Verse Prompt Fill #68

by twobirdsonesong



Series: Crema Verse [71]
Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Awesome Burt Hummel, Barbecue, Crema verse, Domestic Fluff, Drabble, Family Feels, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-21
Updated: 2014-12-21
Packaged: 2018-03-02 16:41:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2819051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twobirdsonesong/pseuds/twobirdsonesong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>adaud said: I've spent the last hours rereading the Crema verse and something that Blaine thinks at some point in the story makes me want to read it, so here's my prompt: Blaine calling Burt 'Dad'. For the first time, or any time really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crema Verse Prompt Fill #68

It takes years.

 

It’s not that Blaine doesn’t think of Burt as family – he does.  He has for a while. They spend holidays together – sometimes in New York and sometimes at the Hummel residence in Ohio. Christmases and Thanksgivings are warm and bright, full of joy and laughter and food and Blaine appreciates every moment of it.  Because every minute he spends wrapped up in the health and life of _family_ erases the years he went without it.

 

Every couple of years Burt spends at least a week with them in the city, taking a well-deserved vacation from the job he refuses to retire from.  He comes with a single suitcase and stays in their guestroom and every day is wonderful. Blaine loves to be the first in the house to wake up (because he still can’t shake the long-formed habit) and get the coffee going for everyone.  And he gladly lets Burt step in to make them all breakfast when he ambles into the kitchen.

 

Every moment with Kurt’s father is easy and comfortable.  Blaine feels at home in Burt’s presence.  Along with Kurt and Cooper, Burt is truly his family now.  But Blaine hasn’t thought of anyone as his father since he left home all those years ago.  And it wasn’t until his mom came back into his life that he remembered he was someone’s son at all.

 

And Burt is more than he can ask for. He is kind and generous and giving. He listens during a conversation and gives advice worth heeding.  Blaine can’t help but wonder how he would have turned out as a person if he’d grown up with a father like Burt.  He wonders if he’d be where he is today if he had that kind of support. Blaine knows so much of his music comes from his dissatisfaction and _hurt_ over his childhood, but perhaps a different sound would have come from him if he’d grown up with the unflagging love of a father like this man. There’s no going back, though, only forward.

 

But for Blaine, the word _dad_ is harder for him that _I love you_ ever was.

 

And yet, it happens casually.

 

***

 

Burt is staying with them for the long Labor Day weekend, drawn away from Ohio with the promise of cold beer and the chance at a bratwurst, if Kurt lets him have it, that is.  It’s a warm day, perfectly clear with a nice breeze to keep it comfortable, and Blaine has agreed to a barbeque in their little square of open space in front of their door.  It’s not quite a yard, but it does the job.

 

Even though they don’t have a ton of space to spread out, it’s just easier to do it at home than try to fight for room at the beaches or in a park somewhere. They have a little standalone grill and plenty of food – they don’t need much more.  And a barbeque naturally means Cooper.

 

“I still don’t know why you wouldn’t let us take this party to the Hamptons,” Cooper says for the thirteenth time that day. “I totally could have gotten us a house there for the weekend.  Or just, you know, a house to have.  An extra one.”  He’s carrying a tray of food over to the grill that Burt has skillfully set up and had taken control of.

 

Blaine rolls his eyes.  “Because that’s a waste of money.  And because the traffic would be awful in and out this weekend.”

 

“And that’s why you take a private jet.” Cooper winks and Blaine can’t even be annoyed with him.

 

“Would you hurry up with those brats, kid?” Burt calls out amiably and Cooper scampers over to give Burt the tray of food to be grilled.

 

Blaine hears laughter and looks over to see Kurt coming out of their home, Pav at his heel, carrying a handful of plates and utensils and shaking his head at Cooper.

 

He’s wearing a slim fitting tank top and Blaine is not going to say anything about it because his father is standing right there, but Blaine will tell Kurt later just what he thinks of the exposed line of his collarbones and the strong curve of his shoulders.

 

“I don’t know why we keep him around,” Kurt says, bumping his shoulder into Blaine’s as he passes by to set the plates down on the little table they’ve set up outside.

 

“Because we gave him a key.”

 

“We could change the locks,” Kurt teases and Blaine wants to come up behind him, nuzzle his face in the face of Kurt’s neck. He waits.

 

“He’ll just break in,” Blaine counter, knowing it’s true, and Kurt laughs again.

 

It’s a lovely day, easy going and punctuated with laughter.  Burt and Cooper argue about college football, with Blaine chiming in here and there just to rile them up.  Kurt has music playing and he keeps stealing food from Blaine’s plate, as though Blaine dished himself coleslaw for any reason other than to give Kurt something to pick at.

 

When the day gets too bright and a little too warm, Blaine ducks inside to grab the sunscreen from the bathroom. He might be over-thinking it, but he’s not going to risk a house full of sunburnt men whining about when it can be prevented.  Or even just Cooper, who is almost unbearable when he’s even mildly uncomfortable.

 

“Hey Dad, you need the sunscreen?”

 

Everything seems to stop.  Blaine doesn’t notice it at first, too busy making sure he hasn’t smeared sunscreen all over his clothes. When he finally looks up, he sees Burt staring at him, an indecipherable expression spread across his face. Something caught between surprise and love and maybe a little heartbreak.

 

“Wha--”

 

And Blaine suddenly remembers what he’d just said.

 

 

He feels laid bare, broke open in a way he hasn’t in so long.  Exposed to the world and waiting. But it’s true.  Burt is his dad, has been his dad since even before he and Kurt got married.  He supposes it’s due time his brain and mouth caught up with his heart.

 

“I--” Blaine doesn’t know what he wants to say, but Burt is across the small yard before Blaine can barely take a breath or even gather the rest of his thoughts.

 

He finds himself wrapped up Burt’s strong arms, squeezed tightly in a familiar hold.  Kurt’s father smells of the witch hazel and glycerin of his homemade aftershave and Blaine sinks into it, closing his eyes.

 

“I was never going to ask,” Burt mumbles. “But I wanted to hear it.”

 

Blaine nods, unable to speak for a moment. But he doesn’t have to. Burt understands, understands what this means to him, what it’s always meant to him.  And for that Blaine is endlessly grateful.

 

“Love you, Dad.”

 

“Love you too, son.”


End file.
